Pokemon: The Resistance
by TBHMB
Summary: Within a broken world, where Team Rocket is on the verge of victory, a pokemon steps forth and takes the responsibility of ending a war that's nearly consumed everything. The pokemon have changed. The trainers have changed. And, the last battle with changed everything.
1. Prologue: The Beginning of Our Nightmare

He floated in a tank, half-grown, half still a blob. The tank sat in the middle of a dimly lit room. The room was bordered off by walls of heavy, cold, gray metal, its floor was burden with the weight of large, highly advanced machinery, and the door opening and closing, along with the hum and beeping of machines, were the only sounds to be heard.

A man with short black hair and beady eyes stared at the unfinished creature with in the tank. The man had slightly tan skin like he got just enough sun. He wore a dark orange yukata with black Gyarados flying around on it. The man had black socks and sandals with dark orange straps.

The creature's eyes flickered open and glanced around. He noticed the same man whose presence stirred him from his sleep. The man's awakening the creature happened from time to time. Their eyes met and the creature in the tank closed his shut. This kind of interaction was normal for these two.

The creature opened his eyes again, this time the man mouthed something, and the creature mimicked the movement, trying to understand it: _Mewtwo_. The creature didn't understand what "Mewtwo" was, what it meant.

_What is a Mewtwo? Is it this… this human? Or is it me? What am I? Human… I try to contact you, but you never respond… I am too weak to break out of this… place… this place I do not understand. Am I too weak to contact you through it for I am too weak to break it…? This barrier of… glass. Is that why you cannot hear me… Or do you choose not to respond?_

The creature's mind was racing and, quickly, he closed his eyes again. Thinking too hard tired him out.

"Giovanni, Sir, your presence always seems to rally him out of his sleep," a nearby scientist took notice. "If you keep coming down here, you'll cause him to go into premature birth. We might lose him," the scientist warned.

"But he's growing faster day by day…" Giovanni stared at the half-form in its tank. _'Soon_,_'_ he thought. _'Soon, you will be mine_._'_

Weeks passed, and Mewtwo was indeed growing rapidly. He could stay awake longer and could even communicate better, using his psychic abilities. His tail tapped against the glass, he was growing too big for his tank now. Mewtwo, who he learned was indeed himself, would "hatch" soon. Even though he could stay up longer if he wanted to, Mewtwo always pretended to be too tired to talk to Giovanni. Something about Giovanni scared him. Well, maybe it wasn't complete fear. Maybe it was something about him worried Mewtwo. Like, there was something there that he didn't want to get involved with, didn't want to trouble himself over, and didn't want to regret attaching to…

Some times, though, they would just talk. They were mindless conversations, but they formed an odd sort of bridge between them, one only these two would ever dare tread. Mewtwo feared, somewhere deep down inside, that Giovanni was just trying to break his defenses. But, Mewtwo only ever knew Giovanni and the scientists, there was no one else for him.

The day came. The liquid in Mewtwo's tank was being drained. It was an odd sensation; Mewtwo had only known a handful of times what it felt like not to be surrounded by his sunset orange liquid. He felt panicky nonetheless, but his eyes met Giovanni's and he calmed himself. The liquid was now completely drained and the glass was lowering itself into the floor. Mewtwo sat on the tank's bottom, as a feline would, poised and attentive, staring at everyone. _'I am finally here_,_'_ he thought. _'For good.'_

Giovanni looked at the pokemon. Mewtwo looked like he could be a teenage, seventeen or eighteen, in human years. However, in truth, he was much like a newborn. Even though the scientists and Giovanni spent time teaching Mewtwo first hand, feeding him basic information through cables connected to his brain at a young age, they knew he could still be rather naive. Giovanni knew this wasn't the first time Mewtwo had been out of his tank, a few physical tests and cable connections had to be done in the pass months, but he knew this was to be the last. Mewtwo was ready for the world.

"Mewtwo…" Giovanni's voice caught the "newly born" pokemon's attention. Giovanni move a bit closer, wanting a better look.

Mewtwo's hair was a light grayish-purple colour, sort of a pale mauve or maybe a slight lilac. His hair was long enough to cover the whiskers on his brows but not long enough to hide his deep amethyst cat eyes, pupils adjusting to the true colour of the light. Mewtwo's hair also covered his "second neck" as the scientists called it. He had a few whiskers around his cat-like nose. Mewtwo twitched his purple ears; they weren't pale like his hair but not as deep as his eyes. They matched his tail that almost seen too big for his skinny body. He was pretty, not a human sort of pretty, but pretty. The scientists did wonder where the purple colour scheme came from though. But, they were so happy he survived that they didn't care anymore.

"Giovanni, you have something to give me," Mewtwo held out one of his clawed hands, five figures like a human's hand, and his other hand covering his essentials shyly. Mewtwo sat there naked by human standards. It was normal for captured pokemon to wear human clothing, while their wild brethren weaved clothing from plants or stole from human clotheslines. Some pokemon befriended humans just for clothing and accessories.

"Of course, how silly of me," Giovanni walked up and snapped his fingers.

Scientists pulled a cart from out of the darkness of the corners of the room. It had three shelves; on each were parts of a battle suit.

Giovanni watched as Mewtwo figured out how to put the armor on. Scientists guided him some of the way and stopped in awe at the speed he was figuring out how to do so on his own, getting far ahead of the scientists' instructions. He stopped when there was only the helmet left.

"Giovanni… in all the excitement of learning to put it own… I meant to ask, what is it exactly? It does not look anything like what you have on or any of the scientists for that matter," Mewtwo stared at his reflection in the helmet.

"Ah, Mewtwo, you really are a curious one. Let's see…" Giovanni was thinking about what to tell him…

"Sir, he should put the helmet on first, you know, to see if it fits right…," the scientist sounded nervous to Mewtwo, and that was when he could tell something wasn't right.

"Giovanni," Mewtwo caught the man's gaze.

_No- __  
_


	2. Chapter One: Fleeting

He was running, running away from all the lies and deceit. He was running from the people who he thought were trustworthy. In an instant, his whole world had fallen into disarray. He was now pushing branches out of his path, ripping away at the armor given by those he thought he could maybe care for.

"_No! No! You stay away! You-You-You!" Mewtwo threw the helmet at the scientist who was just talking to Giovanni, knocking him out. "Giovanni, he-he-his thoughts, they are! You want me to-" Mewtwo couldn't think straight._

"_Mewtwo, now, you need to calm down…" Giovanni placed his hands up as he tried to seem non-threatening towards Mewtwo._

'_Something is not right!' Mewtwo sensed something was amiss with Giovanni's character. This wasn't the man whom with Mewtwo carried on long, meaningless talks. 'A lie! A lie!'_

_Mewtwo held up his hands, a wave of psychic power pulsated out of them. An awe-inspiring force, which Mewtwo simply caused in his panic, threw the scientists back. _

'_If he could learn to truly control those power, the entire world would bow and tremble,' Giovanni thought, he himself stood unfazed by Mewtwo's mental shove._

"_What? Giovanni… Why were you not…?" Mewtwo stepped back._

"_Let's just say, I took some precautionary measures before you were born," Giovanni's hand rummaged in his pocket. "I never thought that you'd betray me so soon."_

"_I betray you?!" Mewtwo continued his slow backwards pace, not sure of what Giovanni was reaching for in his pocket._

_Giovanni suddenly smiled. He found the current object of his desire: a pokeball. Not just any pokeball, a specialized Master Ball made just for Mewtwo. Mewtwo knew what is was. He wasn't going to let this man, this lying, backstabbing, heartless shell of a man, capture him. _

_Mewtwo concentrated; he balled himself up on the floor, and slowly started to float. Giovanni threw the Master Ball but it bounced off a translucent purple barrier Mewtwo had formed around himself. The barrier started to expand, running into and ripping up the floor. _

_The machines were starting to be pushed back as the barrier stretched outward. Giovanni could no longer get close, the objects in the room were now being thrown around at Mewtwo's will. The panels in the wall began to spark, and the freshly wounded floor revealed pipelines carrying various liquids and gases. Some were safe; as for others, the word safe could come nowhere near describing them. The pipes, cracking and leaking, rose out from under the floor._

_Snapping out of his shocked state, Giovanni managed to take control of himself. As amazed and speechless as he was, he managed to retreat to the door before it was blocked or Mewtwo thought to seal off the room completely._

_Sirens went off. Mewtwo couldn't hear them though, he couldn't hear anything. He was too deep inside his own mind. He wanted to erase all his memories and start over somewhere far away from here. However, he couldn't will the strength, or maybe the bravery, he needed to erase them._

'_Starting over,' he thought, 'that much I can do…'_

_Mewtwo unleashed himself out of his balled up pose. His stretched out his body, pulling his limbs out in all directions, throwing his head back. In doing so, he unleashed a wave of psychic energy washing everything in white. Then, everything transitioned to black._

_Mewtwo felt heavy. He was breathing hard or maybe he was hardly breathing. He was a little frighten because he wasn't even sure of his own condition._

'_No… I have to start over…' Mewtwo forced himself to open his eyes. He looked around and realized that the room and the building it was attached to were all in ruin. Mewtwo barely had a scratch on him. He reasoned it was because he was at the center of the explosion; everything would have been thrown outward, away from him. He was still tired though, moving on shear willpower alone. He forced himself to run regardless though, knowing he had to get away._

'_I have to start over…' Mewtwo chanted in his mind to keep himself running._

Mewtwo, gasping and on the edge of collapsing, knew he had to keep running. He had rid himself of most of his armor. He had no idea where he was going, but the faint noise growing behind him meant he wasn't going to be able to stop and think about it. As he feared, Giovanni came looking for him.

The noise sounded like something was slicing through the air, Mewtwo couldn't think what it could be, he couldn't think. Only the words 'I have to start over' kept cycling in his head. Suddenly, he felt the winds push down on him. The noise was right in his ear now. Mewtwo turned to face it. A helicopter! It was a helicopter!

"Mewtwo, come now," Giovanni's voice rang through a megaphone, "let's go back and get you cleaned up, shall we?"

It's sound so alluring to Mewtwo's body to just give up, collapse, and let them drag him back, but his mind kept saying 'I have to start over!' Surprisingly, something fast and pink came to Mewtwo's aid. She flew in from behind Mewtwo, from the direction towards which he was running.

She was small, less than half Mewtwo's size and Mewtwo was at least six feet in height. She had ears and a tail just like Mewtwo, be they pink. She was clad in a bizarre mixture of armor, like futuristic, medieval, and feudal times decided to get together in a drunken fury just to see what would happen. She floated in between Mewtwo and the helicopter. When she looked back at him over her small shoulder, brilliant blue cat eyes and a pink face full of whiskers struck Mewtwo.

"You've gotten this far!" she said. "You better keep going; you have something important to do!"

"What do you mean?" Mewtwo was drawn into her eyes like he knew her.

"You've been running for a while actually, if I were you I think I might have given in… Therefore, you better keep going. You have to start over!" She was right, Mewtwo was born early in the morning and now the sun was going down. Mewtwo had a wide stride so who knows how far he had really gotten. Nevertheless, how did she know his personal, and somewhat embarrassing, motivational chant?

"Who are you?" Mewtwo asked as he turned around. Something about meeting her made him feel stronger.

"When we meet there, I'll tell you. The enemies won't wait any longer. Go!"

Mewtwo didn't ask anything more. He knew they would meet again, wherever 'there' might be.


	3. Chapter Two: First Step to Starting Over

Night had snuggled itself peacefully into the sky and earth. Everything seem like a distance dream, parts were even starting to get fuzzy. Mewtwo had to remind himself that it wasn't a dream; the lab that once existed, the running away, the helicopter with Giovanni in it, and even his mysterious rescuer -who he was silently praying to whatever deity would listen that she'd be okay.

Mewtwo had found a break in the woods, as he was walking he realized he was completely out of the wood and onto the plains. Mewtwo wasn't comfortable with being out in the open; he felt exposed and vulnerable. Then, he saw it cutting through the growing darkness. There were hills laid out in front of him that grew into distant mountains.

Wedged between the two hills directly in front of him were giant doors. The doors were as tall as the hills themselves. Starting from the top of the hills, down their sides, and disappearing into the night, were barricades made of stone, metal, and small discarded pieces of wood. Like, those on the other side gathered up anything they could find and piled it all up. Upon farther inspection, the door was metal, worn and dented.

Mewtwo's voice felled him. He was relieved to find this place. All he could do was hope that the residents were friendly. Mewtwo also realized something important: this was 'there'! It had to be. Mewtwo was stirred out of these thoughts, something was moving on top of one of the doors. He wouldn't be surprised if there was a platform for lookouts. There were probably towers along the barricade that he couldn't see in the dark.

The waning moon wasn't helping and the clouds were making it even harder. The night was just difficult altogether. The figure on the top of the door move around. Suddenly, there was a flicker of light, two torches were lit and the figure became visible. It was a Kadabra. Mewtwo was right about there being towers, as more light flickered on a trail that went beyond his range of vision.

The Kadabra, with psychic abilities of its own, floated down from the top of the door. Mewtwo caught a better look of the Kadabra, though his eyes had trouble adjusting simply from him being so tired. He could tell the Kadabra was female and in armor of her own.

"I was somewhat sent here… by a pink pokemon in armor," it was the only thing Mewtwo could think of, seeing how his mysterious rescuer simply stated she 'meet him there' not really sending him. Like to her, it was just a rendezvous at the place Mewtwo just happen to be heading to.

"Our Lead Psychic has foretold of your arrival," The Kadabra spoke as if she didn't want to be there, talking to an outsider. She was young, around five feet. She had blond hair pulled into two low ponytails. Her golden eyes were narrow and her nose twitched a lot, maybe finding Mewtwo's daylong run smell repulsive. Her ears twitching on top of her head were as blond as her hair. Other features that stood out to Mewtwo were her wide tail, it was blond and brown and had the shape of a raindrop, but the tip was curved some, there were her thick thighs, like Mewtwo's, and lastly, her spoon. It was bigger than an ordinary eating spoon, if anything it was the length of a ladle. She had all the basic features of a Kadabra.

Her armor seem influenced by the feudal time, maybe medieval was in the mix too. Armor wasn't one of the subjects Mewtwo was taught much about. The scientists took it upon themselves to decide on the armor Mewtwo would wear, a suit of armor to keep him in line.

"My name is Kiashra," The Kadabra bowed slightly.

Mewtwo knew that his name was simply what he was and nothing more. He was never given anything more. '_The scientists had to make sure they didn't get too attached' _as Mewtwo had that thought, he clinched his teeth, he felt stupid for trusting them. Mewtwo's hands tightened into fists. He felt something on them and looked to see Kiashra had put her hands on his.

"Come now," she said with the voice of a worried mother, "Let's get you cleaned up, shall we?"

"_Mewtwo, come now," Giovanni's voice rang through a megaphone, "let's go back and get you cleaned up, shall we?"_

Mewtwo finally realized he was crying. He wanted so hard to forget. He wished he never found out want Giovanni wanted him to do. He enjoyed those meaningless talks with him. Mewtwo sniffed hard trying not to cry anymore but the tears keep coming. He spent most of his youth in a tube; he never really got a chance to explore all his feelings, to mentally mature. His mind, at its core, was still young. They were his family. Giovanni and the scientists were his family. All of this, the world that now lay under his feet; it was once all pictures feed through cables into his mind or images on screens the scientists showed him. Everything was soaking in now that he finally had the opportunity to stop running. What more could Mewtwo do but cry?

"Come now, I'll teleport us inside," Kiashra gripped his hands tightly, satisfied with the yes nodded to her.


	4. Chapter Three: Settling in for the Night

Once Mewtwo had stopped crying and calmed down, Kiashra had temporarily pass Mewtwo on to a male Kadabra. The young male looked a lot like Kiashra; his hair was longer and in one ponytail, he had a mustache and he was in kilt-like attire only, probably just woken out of bed. His name was Marmenis and he was tasked with taking Mewtwo to the baths. Marmenis was distant from Mewtwo, saying as little as possible.

"Mewtwo," Marmenis cleared his throat. "In here are the baths. I'll bring you fresh clothing… Uh, there are towels inside…" Marmenis turned the knob and push the door open. As Mewtwo walked in, Marmenis walked quickly away.

Inside the bathroom was a large bath built into the floor, it was steaming. They really were expecting his arrival. The walls and floor were stone slabs. There were bamboo shelves made into the walls. Mewtwo removed the remaining pieces of his armor, mostly the waist down and around his tail. As he placed them on a shelf he looked back to the bath. Mewtwo knew how to take a bath, didn't mean that he liked doing so; felines weren't all fond of water. He dipped a foot in and, after finding the shallowest end of the bath, he stepped in.

The water was strangely relaxing. Mewtwo wondered if it was one of those magic hot springs he once read about. He manage to completely calm down thanks to the mystic properties of the bath. Thoughts floated around in his head, like the pink warrior, where he was, what this place was, and what did the residents have in store for him. If they found out why he was born would they hate him? Would they toss him out? Or, worse, would they kill him…?

'_I cannot stay here… Even if they offered… they would all be endanger because of me… Giovanni would rip this place to the ground, burn what ever refuse to fall at his feet… Yes, that is what kind of person he really is…' _Mewtwo let his thoughts flow around him like the ripples of the water.

There was a knock. Mewtwo knew it was Marmenis by the scent that seeped in from under the door. Marmenis pushed the door open when Mewtwo said his name. Marmenis had brought a change of clothes as promised. It was something like a short gray robe and wide shorts to match, probably just for sleeping in. Mewtwo's internal clock told him it was well passed midnight. But he wasn't tired anymore, the spring had fixed that.

"Get dressed. I'll be outside the door," Marmenis placed the clothing on a shelf. Mewtwo watched in confusion; Marmenis used his abilities to lift Mewtwo's remaining armor.

"What are you doing?" Mewtwo began pulling himself out of the bath, cautiously eyeing the Kadabra. Even though he hated the armor, it was still his; the only thing left from a time that could no longer be. That armor was his transition.

"We will make it whole, stronger. You'll need armor to survive…" Marmenis looked at Mewtwo dead in the eyes. Mewtwo could tell his wasn't lying. "This armor and the pieces you left behind will be use to make something greater for you. It's already a custom fit."

Mewtwo was slightly taken back by so many words coming out of Marmenis's mouth. Something struck him though. "The pieces I left behind…?"

"She gathered them up and teleported back here with them. Then she left."

'_She?' _Mewtwo thought. "You mean the pink warrior… is she really a-"

"Hurry and get dressed," Marmenis cut him off like he was disgusted by the question Mewtwo hadn't finished asking.

Marmenis was outside the door like he said he would be. Mewtwo's armor wasn't with him, probably teleported somewhere with the retrieved pieces. He hadn't turned to face Mewtwo. Marmenis begun to lead him done the hall, back the way they came.

Mewtwo finally was able to take in his surroundings better. He had been teleported directly into the building by Kiashra. The only things he know about it was that it was a home for Abra evolutions, some Vulpix and Nintails seem to reside with them, it felt huge, and that everything was warm coloured or wood. A few nature paintings would appear on the walls or sitting on small hallway stands as they walked. The floor was carpet, designed with red roses and dark green vines with a deep brown background. The walls were golden brown and the trimmings really did look like pure gold.

"Marmenis…" Mewtwo hoped he didn't sound like he was trying to be too familiar with the Kadabra, "I meant to ask-"

"Save your questions," Marmenis didn't sound upset like before.

Mewtwo spotted a large set of doors ahead of them. They were a least fourteen feet tall, made of metal and had pokemon images engraved deep into their surfaces. Marmenis pulled his spoon out of the tie of his robe, and held it up to the doors. They crept open, wobbled once or twice, then stood firm. The two of them walked in.

The room was round, sharing the same features that the many hallways it took to get there had. In the center was a pile of cushions with two individuals sitting on it, talking by candle light. They looked up at Marmenis and Mewtwo. One was an Alakazam; an old looking pokemon was a long mustache nearly touching the floor as he sat. He wore the same clothing as Mewtwo only his were black. Mewtwo wonder why Alakazam lose their tails after evolving. As Mewtwo and Marmenis approached, Mewtwo could make out he had hazel eyes. And his fur was a mix of yellow and purple; he was a shiny pokemon.

The one next to the Alakazam surprised Mewtwo. It was a human. Mewtwo was secretly disappointed in this discovery. He had hoped that this was a pokemon paradise. He hoped that the pokemon in the surrounding area had found an abandon city and took it as their own. Mewtwo read that happened on occasion, humans would leave somewhere or maybe die out from a plague and then pokemon would move into the remaining town or city. They would even bury the dead. Diseases didn't jump between humans and pokemon. No matter how much pokemon natural evolved over time, they would never be human like the one sitting in front of Mewtwo.

This human had a red cap with a white bill keeping down his black hair. When he looked at Mewtwo with a puzzled expression Mewtwo saw he had red eyes. He was wearing a black shirt and jeans; he had no shoes on at the time. Mewtwo had the feeling that the human got there not too long before him.

"Please, take a seat. Marmenis, wait outside," the Alakazam order. Marmenis bowed, gave a 'yes sir' and left the room.

When Mewtwo heard the doors close, he had placed himself a comfortable distance away from the two. They stared at each other. Mewtwo's ears started to twitch. He looked at the old pokemon. "Would you be so kind to stop trying to dig into my mind?"

The Alakazam was taken back, "I hadn't expected you to feel it… Very good, my name is-"

"Emeris. And his name is Reddeon Palletine, but he is called Red for short," Mewtwo looked at Emeris with narrow eyes.

"Amazing, I didn't even feel you enter my mind… You were born a very strong psychic pokemon. But, I sense you have trouble controlling it. I'm guessing you only got our names and nothing more, if you had drove any farther you would have gotten yourself stuck. I would've had to push you out to free you," Emeris realized he hit a sore spot with his comment as Mewtwo turned his head away embarrassed.

"Reemerarius told me a bit about you," Emeris spoke to fill the silence. _"Only the two, three including yourself, know about your… uh, birth process," _the last part was spoken in Mewtwo's mind.

"Well, as you know, I'm Red and I'll be given a guide of this place with you tomorrow. They said they wanted to get us both out of the way at the same time. That they were busy as it is. I came here to help with the war. What about you?" Red leaned closer anticipating that he'd say the same.

"In truth, I do not even know where I am… and is Reemerarius…?" Mewtwo keep his gazed low, like a child expecting to be yelled at, thinking back to when Marmenis got mad at him for asking about the pink warrior.

"I wouldn't think you would," Emeris chimed. "The region you came from is no longer the region you're in. This is the new region Alicor, what remains of the free world. Reemerarius was your rescuer, she actually teleported you some of the way. Teleporting you into the city directly would have caused a panic. People would think the enemy was trying to break in."

"That's why all the barricade guards are psychic type. They make a giant force field around the city. So, this Reemer pokemon must be a really strong psychic if she could get you in so easily." Red piped in.

Emeris smiled, "yes, City Lilium takes pride in her pokemon's abilities- psychic or not!"

Mewtwo was looking down at his hands in thought, _'City Lilium in region Alicor… What tragedies have I brought you…? No, I will not let you suffer… Not without trying to protect you.' _Something told Mewtwo he couldn't just leave like he had first thought.

As Mewtwo clinched his fist, Emeris asked, "so, Mewtwo, will you help us? You're bound to meet Reemerarius again."

"I am not sure what I could do… but I will do what I can to help you," Mewtwo made up his mind.

"Mewtwo, you are stronger than you think. You will be as much help to us as The Pink Knight is," Emeris's reference to Reemerarius perked Mewtwo up. Something about being compared to her made him excited. When their eyes had meet Mewtwo knew she was a legendary. To be told he would be as useful as _that_ legendary, well, Mewtwo knew that would be the greatest compliment in his life.

"We need to get to bed, it's around three now," Emeris broke into Mewtwo's thoughts.

"Two fifty-six," Mewtwo spoke instinctively. His internal clock had finally figured itself out.

Emeris smiled a sort of fatherly smile that warmed Mewtwo up, "Very good, Mewtwo. I expect big things from the two of you. You two will be sharing a room, so get along. Marmenis, take these two to their room."

Marmenis came in with a yawn and escorted the two away.

"I wonder if he'll figure out how you two are connected," Emeris turned to a high window that let in faded moonlight.

"Silly Emeris, it's not an _if, _it's a _when!" _her voice sounded just as excited as Mewtwo had been on retrieving his "legendary" praise. "I'll let you know when they start moving… But that Giovanni fellow worries me…"

"Worried? You?"

"Yes, me! I was who I was talking about. Mewtwo's attack… he was the only human unaffected by it. Something about _precautionary measures…_" Reemerarius looked out to the dark sky, truly worried.


	5. Chapter Four: The Tour Begins

_Precautionary measures._

The words rolled around in Mewtwo's head. The day, technically his birth day, had been unreasonably long and strength consuming. He had lost everything he ever known in an explosion he himself had caused.

"Hey, your name is Mewtwo, right?" Red's voice traveled in the still of night, or what was left of the night.

"Yes…" Mewtwo could tell where this conversation was going.

"Well, what's your species…? I've never seen a pokemon like you before."

"You are confused. I am a Mewtwo, but I have no other name. Because of that I am only known as Mewtwo. I am the only one of my kind so there is no confusion to worry about," Mewtwo hoped that was the only question. But, Mewtwo, 'new-born' as he was, wasn't that naïve.

"So, where are you from?" Red let out a yawn. Mewtwo saw him as a rather odd human, it was obvious he was tired; why converse when you were in need of sleep.

"I am not sure. I was… sheltered," Mewtwo technically wasn't lying, he did have a very sheltered life at the lab or, at least, that's what the scientists called that place. Really, he had a shelter life in Room Project M-2. The rest of the lab was off limits.

"You were that sheltered? What made you leave, the war?" Red sounded drowsy.

"You could say that…" Mewtwo didn't want to say anything more.

"You… came…," Red's voice started to drift farther into sleep, "alone?"

"Yes, all alone. I am sure others survived…" Mewtwo didn't realize that would sound as bitter as it did.

"I'm sure they'll come looking for you…" Red let out a big yawn. His last line of the night was, "they're your family, right?" before drifting off to sleep completely.

Mewtwo turned to look over to him. He had indeed fallen asleep. But Mewtwo answered anyway, "No, not anymore…"

When the light finally managed to stir Mewtwo from his sleep, it was close to noon. _'Eleven forty-nine. They let me sleep in later than I thought they would.'_

'_Of course they would. I asked them too and I asked for your friend too. He was so excited to meet you he stayed up waiting for you. He's still asleep.'_ Mewtwo followed the mental voice up to the window.

There she sat on the windowsill. She was perched in a feline manner and was cleaning her shoulder with her tongue. She laughed at Mewtwo's expression. Her laugh had Mewtwo think of spring. Behind her though, Mewtwo could clearly see the falling multicoloured leaves; the opposite of spring.

"Reemerarius… I… thank you," Mewtwo for some reason felt embarrassed giving his thanks. He felt a connection with her, something deep that was made even before his birth. He wanted to voice his opinion, to ask if she felt it too, but he reframed from doing so. He feared disappointment.

When he decided not to ask, he noticed a small, sad smile on her face. Did she know his thoughts?

"Mewtwo," she smiled a happier smile then, "call me Reemer. It's easier, isn't it?"

"Alright then, Reemer…" Mewtwo smiled her name off his lips.

Reemer floated over to him, she wasn't in armor anymore. Her outfit looked magical; it fit her better than armor. It was shades of pink and dark blue with a bit of black lace and ribbon. She floated before him and suddenly licked his cheek. Before Mewtwo knew it, she was trying to clean his face. He let her.

"I have to get going," Reemer floated back from Mewtwo. "You look a lot better!" She floated back up to him and pecked him on the forehead, catching him off guard. She shot out the window without another word.

Knocking came to the door, loud enough to wake Red. Mewtwo remembered this smell; it was Kiashra! He invited her into the room. Red was wiping the sleep from his eyes. Kiashra had brought in Mewtwo's armor.

"Whoa!" Red caught sight of the suit of metal. "Mewtwo, that's your armor, right?"

"Yes…" Mewtwo's voice trailed. "It has been modified." He wasn't sure if he liked the idea now that it had come to pass.

"Put it on. We have to make sure it fits," Kiashra laid in out on the floor. "I'll be waiting outside. Red, your armor's almost done."

When the door closed, Red got excited even more, "Did you come here with all this?"

"Some of it. Like I said, they modified it. Some of the original parts did not make it to the finished product it seems…"

"Probably would have been too heavy. You need protection in today's battles, but too much would slow you down. It's better to move with a few scratches than to be stabbed a sitting Psyduck," Red smile wide and goofy. Mewtwo could tell Red wanted to see him in it badly. Mewtwo was a bit fearful Red would pass out from simply being overwhelmed when he received his own armor.

Mewtwo strapped on everything with ease. The torso of the suit had two metal straps; one went over his left shoulder and the other around the right side of his torso. The straps meet at two big metal plates that protected his heart from the front and back. Underneath that was a long chain mail that traversed down to his hips.

His right arm had something like metal rings that started on his wrist making its way to his elbow. Chain mail hung out at the elbow end. His other arm had rings that started at his armpit and went down to his elbow. Each rings had a pointed side facing outward like they were make for scraping. Mewtwo's left hand had some protective covering starting some above the wrist, unlike his right.

His waist had two belts that connected to slabs of metal of various sizes that were jointed together to make a flexible sheet of armor that completely covered the back, the sides, and some of the front of his legs. The back though dipped under his tail, letting his tail move without the waist armor weighing it down.

Mewtwo's legs both had bracing on them. The left leg's bracing went up to his knee while his right leg only covered to above the ankle. Both ended on the fronts of his feet, shape like ovals.

Lastly was Mewtwo's tail. It had plates that connected by flexible tubing on their insides. The tubing allowed Mewtwo to move his tail freely. Under ever other plate there were latches to secure. At the end of his tail was a tip that made him think of the tip of a Gliscor tail.

With that, Mewtwo had completely clad himself in armor. Strangely, he liked the changes in his armor now that he had it on. He was sure he would be against anything they would have done to it, but it was a nicer fit now and didn't feel heavy like it used to.

Mewtwo faced Red, who with a wide smile gave Mewtwo a thumbs-up in approval. Behind Red something moved. Mewtwo had notice that they weren't the only ones in the room when they came in the night before, but, he didn't say anything. Mewtwo figured Red had pokemon companions of his own somewhere in the city that would have come with him on his trip. And, one of them was in the covers of Red's bed.

It was a young Pikachu. He poked his head out from under the sheets, yawning slowly like he was lavishing himself in doing so. The Pikachu was about the size of Reemer, pulling his body lazily out of bed, dragging his lightning bolt- shaped tail behind him. His long pointy tails twitched as he stretched out his body. He had soft brown circular eyes with whiskers instead of eyebrows. Whiskers also traced the lining of his face. The Pikachu had a thin coat of yellow fur with brown stripes on his tail and probably his back like all Pikachu. This one though had brown markings on his arms as well. His was wearing what appeared to be one of Red's shirts.

"Hey!" he walked other to the two of them. "I'm Pika, nice to meet you!"

'_It seems energetic individuals are drawn to each other…' _Mewtwo thought before responding with a simple hello.

After Red manage to get dress, the three of them met Kiashra out in the hall. She was in her armor from the night before.

"Please, this way," Kiashra's motherly niceness appeared in her voice. She might have even been smiling as she turned away. Then, suddenly she asked Mewtwo a question that made him uncomfortable, "So, Mewtwo, what's your story?"

"Pardon?"

"Your story, what brings you here?"

"I am surprised you are asking. Did Emeris not tell you?" Mewtwo didn't want to get back on this topic. He lucked up and Red fell asleep during their discussion.

"No, I haven't asked him about you. I thought it would be best to ask you directly," Kiashra glanced back at Mewtwo over her shoulder.

"I have a question!" Red interjected. "Where are we going?"

"Well, we're starting your tour," Kiashra stopped in her tracks like she had just remembered what was actually suppose to be going on.

"Okay, so where is 'here'?" Pika joined in from Red's shoulders. Mewtwo realized they were trying to save him.

"This is the Psychic Over-House, as in the House that's over all psychic-type pokemon in the city."

"So, you sent my other friends to the houses over their types?" Red looked like he was thinking hard on this.

"Yes, but it seems as though one didn't leave," she eyed Pika.

"Well, technically, I did leave. I just decided to come back," Pika nuzzled his cheek on the top of Red's head. "I couldn't leave my best friend all alone, you see. I wouldn't be a best friend if I did that. I told the other not to worry and that I'd look out for him. So, you should be happy you don't have all of us here."

"My, my, what camaraderie," Kiashra smiled. Maybe she could understand that with all the others of her kind in the Psychic Over-House, maybe just from living with other pokemon in the city. Regardless, camaraderie was something Mewtwo couldn't comprehend.


	6. Chapter Five: Ghost Boss Territory

The four of them made their way out of the Psychic Over-House without incident. Mewtwo was able to relax on the way, until they got outside. At first, Mewtwo hadn't cared or just didn't notice; other pokemon giving sideways glances at them, at Mewtwo. Mewtwo wasn't nervous, he was irritated by all the stares. If they wanted to know more about him they should speak up. If they won't speak up then why should he waste time talking to a bunch of scaredy-Meowths.

"So, are we gonna pick up the rest of my friends during the tour?" Red's voice broke Mewtwo out of his silent grudging.

"Yes, the next Over-House isn't too far from here," Kiashra pointed down the long stretch of cobblestone street in front of them. Not too far though, on one side of the street was a building made from trees and other foliage.

"I'm guessing the Grass Over-House?" Red walked with his arms crossed behind his head, slightly leaning back as though trying to take a peek at the sky.

"Indeed," Kiashra looked over her shoulder at Mewtwo. Mewtwo knew she was looking at him but he made no attempt at eye contact.

"Which one of your companion stayed here?" Mewtwo asked aloud, cutting off any chance Kiashra had to ask anything.

"Oh, Fusshi, he's a Venusaur," Red turned his attention turns Mewtwo. "A old man I met on my journey left him with me. We were trying to escape some Team Rocket goons and the man stayed behind to give us time to run. Fusshi, Pika, and I were too wounded to do anything else."

"And the old man?" Mewtwo wasn't sure he wanted to know, but he couldn't keep himself from wondering aloud.

"I don't know if he survived the fight or not…" Red had a lost look in his eyes.

"…We're here," Kiashra spoke softly.

At the door were two guards, a Roserade and a Sceptile. They recognized Kiashra, gave a nod, and let them entered.

After gathering, Fusshi, who (lucky for Mewtwo) wasn't much of a talker, the group traveled the city, picking up Red's friends as they went. There weren't too many of them, but they consist of a Poliwrath named Nyoro, a Snorlax named Gon, and a Aerodactyl named Pte. Red said other pokemon he had meet, as well as other humans, were on their way to Lillum.

Red's friends never once questioned Mewtwo about himself as they traveled the key points of the city. Mewtwo believed they were planning to bug Red about it later. He even decided not to invade their thoughts to see. He wanted to know what trust was and thought maybe he could learn it from them.

The major places in the city were Shop Street, two adjoined medical buildings known as The Centers, a training gym, a daycare center which double as a shelter in times of crisis, and a park, and the graveyard that was hidden by trees, making it hard to see from any angle.

Mewtwo found all of this so fascinating that he made his way up to Kiashra and whispered, "exactly how long has Lillum been here?"

Kiashra gave Mewtwo a puzzled look. "While," she whispered back, "Lillum was believed to be another city all together but, with the war, it drastically changed over time. All of the original inhabits are in the graveyard and so many more new inhabits moved in that things just change. You might be able to find something in the old library. But it's been rebuilt a few times due to indirect bombings and now it's condemned. I doubt much survived."

"I see…" Mewtwo wasn't sure what is was but something about the story Kiashra shared wasn't right. He felt like Kiashra wanted to tell him something important, which made sense of her adding in the library. "We've been everywhere and never passed a library."

Kiashra and Mewtwo met eye to eye and in that instant Mewtwo saw a map that pointed out their current location and the library's.

"Hey, excuse me, but can we head back to Shop Street? We've been walking, like, everywhere and I'm hungry," Gon chimed in.

"I'm surprised you came this far without falling asleep under a tree somewhere," Nyoro playfully shoved Gon.

"You know I can't sleep on an empty stomach," Gon rubbed his middle, frowning.

The group went back to Shop Street and had their meals to-go. Kiashra decided to take them all back to the Psychic Over-House to eat as an early dinner. The whole way back Mewtwo keep redrawing the map in his head. Making notes of how to get from the Over-House to where Kiashra had given him the map to the library.

"What's up?" Pte called across the table.

Mewtwo realized he hadn't eaten anything, he was just swirling his fork around in his meal. Everyone at the table looked at him.

"If you don't want it…" Gon mumbled.

"It's just…" Mewtwo didn't want to but had to lie, "I've never eaten anything like the food here in the city. I still have to get use to it."

"Hm, it's just noodles with a side of tofu and vegetables," Fusshi spoke, confused as the others.

"Leave Mewtwo alone you guys, he's live a very sheltered life because of the war," Red saved him once again and Pika wasn't about to be left out.

"Yeah, he'll get used to everything in his own time."

_They know something's wrong. I can't have them constantly covering for me…_ Mewtwo thought.

The other pokemon dropped the subject and began to talk about their journey together. Once the night had settled in, Red's friends went to their respective Over-Houses. And all prepared for bed. Well, nearly all.

"So?" Red sat legs crossed, Pika on his head, staring at Mewtwo.

He didn't speak.

"Come on, Mewy, we're covered your butt twice today," Pika jumped from Red's head to the floor and up to Mewtwo.

"Pardon?"

"Mewy, come on, we're friends, let us in," Pika climbed up Mewtwo's back and hung himself over Mewtwo's shoulder.

_Mewy… _not a very creative nickname but much better than Project M-2... "I have to slip out tonight."

"And?" Red joined the two in front of the window.

"There's a library I want to go look at to learn more about the city," Mewtwo wasn't sure how much to tell them.

"Just a boring old library?" Pika was disappointed, expecting something a lot more interested.

"Wait a minute," Red suddenly seemed way more excited than he should have been, "there wasn't a library mentioned on the tour. Mewtwo, what kind of library?"

"…" Mewtwo let out a sigh, he felt a lot more comfortable with these two than he thought he should, given the short amount of time they all knew each other. "A condemned library."

"That's it, we're in!" Pika jumped from Mewtwo's shoulder to Red's. "Lead the way, Mewtwo."

"No, you two just stay here."

Red frown and looked genuinely hurt, "Aren't we friends?"

"Red, in all honesty, I don't know. I've never had friends… I couldn't tell you if 'friendship' is what I feel when I think of you two," Mewtwo truly didn't know what he felt at that moment, what to call it.

"I see…" Red turned his gaze out the window. Mewtwo's gaze followed.

"I'm leaving now," Mewtwo lifted himself over the windowsill. Once he was over and on solid ground, Red and Pika followed close behind. "What are you two-"

"When the time comes and you realize we are friends, we want to be there when it happens. So, we're be with you until then," Red had made his way over the sill.

"Now, like I said earlier, lead the way, Mewtwo," Pika said with a smile.

Mewtwo had led the three of them to the graveyard. On the far end of the yard, was an old broken fence that didn't seem to lead to anywhere. Mewtwo stood still at the edge of the graveyard.

"Mewtwo, what's wrong?" Red whispered. The graveyard was silent, the air was cold, and the lampposts flickered on and off. All the tombstones were broken or faded.

"There are ghost-types in the area. Not my strongest point," Mewtwo looked around the graveyard. "We should probably walk around."

"Go around? Mewy, I bet you could take all of them on!" Pika voiced a little too loudly.

"All of us?" at the center of the graveyard floated a Gastly. "Hmm?" the Gastly tilted in confusion.

"What is it?" a Misdreavus appeared next to him.

"What is he?" the Gastly was talking about Mewtwo. "I've never seen a pokemon like him before," the Gastly floated backwards, hesitant of being too close, though he wasn't anywhere near Mewtwo to begin with.

"Oh dear, I don't know. Hey," the Misdreavus ventured bravely forward with the Gastly not far behind, "what are you?"

"I am nothing to worry about. I simply wish to venture to the library and back," Mewtwo crossed his arms. If they did attack and Mewtwo couldn't take them on than he could try teleporting. The first time he learn he could, the scientists throw a fit and strictly forbid he every teleport again. They had changed the doors and wall panels soon after that. _The scientists aren't here and even if they were..._

Mewtwo's thoughts were interrupted. To their right appeared a Gengar leaning against a crooked tree, "Nothing to worry about, huh? I know everything there is to know about this city. And, I think you're something to worry about."

"You think? But you just said you know everything," Mewtwo spoke without a second thought.

"How dare you talk to Ghost Boss like that! His a genius!" the Misdreavus came closer, her high pitch voice brought more ghost-types out into view "Isn't that right, Ghost Boss!"

"That's right, babe. Now, I don't take kindly to trespassers and rude ones at that," Ghost Boss raised both hands, between them was the beginning of Shadow Ball.

"Boss is gonna let you have it now," the Gastly, feeling safer with the Gengar present, floated closer to gloat about something he wasn't even brave enough to try himself.

"Mewtwo, what should we do? We don't have anyone good against ghost-type Pokemon," Red stood in a position that said he was ready to dodge anything.

"While I stated ghost aren't my strongest point, I never said I couldn't take these specific ones. If this is their leader, then we're fine," Mewtwo raised only one hand and, faster than Ghost Boss could, formed a Shadow Ball.

"You think you can take me?!" Ghost Boss throw his Shadow Ball, the graveyard inhabitants cheering him on.

"You're just life's failed attempt at comedy," Mewtwo flung his Shadow Ball with such force that it cut Ghost Boss's attack in half and absorbed it. The Gengar tried throwing more Shadow Balls, only for them to meet the same fate as the first.

"Boss!" the Misdreavus shot forward but was blocked by the Gastly. "Move, you worthless gas cloud!"

"Rubi, don't-" the Gastly was cut off by the explosion. The air became smoke lit by moonlight.

"Boss! Boss! Where are you?!" Rubi's voice screeched like tires as she made her way to through the smoke. "Ruin, Ruin, why aren't you looking!?"

The Gastly was about to join in the search when Ghost Boss erupted from the smoke, bruised, scraped, and a little wobbly. He managed to land on his feet, "You! You think you can come into my territory and blow up my space!" Ghost Boss tried walking forward.

"Boss, please don't!" Rubi raced to his side. "Boss, don't force yourself! I'll fight him, I'll give my last breath for you! So, please don't force yourself!" she was crying now.

Ghost Boss paused and locked eyes with Rubi, "Don't be an idiot!" he raised his hand and cupped her face gently. He gave her a little shove, "I gotta finish this! I'm the leader here..." Ghost Boss let his voice go quiet.

"Boss, you have nothing to prove to these losers. I know you're great! You're just having a bad day," Rubi refused to back down and brought herself closer. Everything calmed down in that moment.

"Yeah, a bad day," Ghost Boss looked at the three trespassers. "The library is through the back. But when you come out you better go around my territory or else I won't go easy on ya next time."

Mewtwo could tell the Gengar was just trying to be brave for a position he wasn't ready for yet. Mewtwo wondered how Ghost Boss became Ghost Boss. Now that Mewtwo had a chance to get a good look at him, the Gengar was too young to have any experience for such a role. That being said, Mewtwo himself had no control over his Shadow Ball because he too was inexperience. They were both trying to be strong in a way-too-dangerous world where they felt they had way too much riding on their shoulders. For a moment, Mewtwo and Ghost Boss exchanged understanding looks.

"I am called Mewtwo. It is my name and what I am. I'm currently residing at the Psychic Over-House. Thank you for letting us through. We will be sure to go around on our way back," Mewtwo broke their shared gaze and begun to walk through the graveyard with Red and Pika close behind. The ghost-type parted a path for them. Rubi could be hear making a fuss over Ghost Boss as the three approached the fence. An abyss laid out before them.


End file.
